Cap crimping apparatus



United States Patent U.S. Cl. 53-353 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA segmented crimping annulus for applying lightweight metal tear offcaps to the necks of bottles. A bottle guide and ear wiping device isprovided whereby a cap tearing ear is precisely positioned adjacent tothe neck of the bottle as a plurality of crimping jaws form the capskirt in tightly underneath the lip of the bottle.

This invention relates to apparatus for securing container closures andis particularly concerned with an improved apparatus for crimpinglightweight metal closure caps onto container necks.

One problem heretofore encountered in the crimping of closure caps ontocontainers, particularly in automated bottling operations, is theprovision of effective guide means for accurately locating the bottleand loosely applied cap in properly aligned position within the crimpinghead. In order for the radially contracting jaws of the crimping head toencircle the skirt and form the same into sealing engagement with theunderlying container neck, it is essential that the lateral positioningof the neck relative to the head be closely controlled. It has beenfound that in many cases due to lack of precision in the commonly usedbottle feeding mechanisms and to dimensional variations in the bottlesthemselves, the bottle neck is not positively positioned in axialalignment with the crimping head. Frequently this misalignment conditioncauses the jaws to strike the top of the bottle through the unsecuredcap and close on top of the cap resulting in an unsealed bottle whichmust be detected at some later point.

The various prior art constructions heretofore advanced attempting tocarry out this positioning function in a general sense have lacked thenecessary precision. The improved crimping head of this inventionprovides for the high speed capping of bottles or other containersdespite the inherent dimensional variations in such containers and therelatively inaccurate positioning of hottle feeding mechanisms.

Of equal importance, in applying closure caps of the type having anoutwardly extending gripping ear to facilitate removal by tearing, isthe provision of means for wiping the ear down against the containerneck as the cap is secured. The closed the ear is wiped down onto thecontainer neck the less chance there is of the seal being inadvertentlybroken through interference with the car during subsequent handling ofthe container. On the other hand, if the ear is wiped down too far andforcibly pressed against the container by the crimping head thelikelihood of damaging or completely destroying the container is great.The problem then is to wipe the ear down as close as possible to thecontainer neck during the cap applying operation without actuallystriking the container. Here again, inherent dimensional variations inthe shape and height of the bottles or other containers being cappedwith prior art constructions has made it difficult, if not impossible,to perform this wiping operation with the desired precision.

Both of the above described container guiding and ear wiping functionsare advantageously performed by the improved crimping head of thisinvention in a simple and unique manner. More specifically these twofunctions are advantageously performed by a single element and itsmounting. Furthermore the required precision has been achieved whileaccommodating normal variations in containers and in the equipmentfeeding such containers.

It is accordingly a principal object of this invention to provide a newand improved apparatus for the sealing of closure caps onto bottle orother container necks.

Another object is to provide closure cap crimping apparatus havingimproved guide means for positioning container necks in proper axialalignment for the crimping operation.

A further object is to provide crimping apparatus for applying closurecaps formed with outwardly extending tearing ears having improved meansfor wiping such ears against the container neck.

A still further object is to provide closure cap crimping apparatuswherein said improved guide and wiping means are one and the same.

A more detailed object is to provide closure cap crimping apparatuswherein said guide and wiping means is operative in predeterminedvertically spaced relationship to the crimping jaws.

Still further and more detailed objects of the invention will in part beobvious and in part pointed out as the description of the invention,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing proceeds.

In that drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of the cap securing head and associatedworkpiece showing the crimping jaws in open or expanded position andwith the guiding and wiping ring is raised position;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan of the cap securing head alone taken on line 22of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a vertical elevational view of the crimping head having aportion cut away and showing the jaws in closed or crimping position andthe guiding and wiping ring in final operative position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the guiding and wiping ring and retainerplate therefore with a section cut away to show the contour of the ringworking surface; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the parts indicated by thecircle in FIG. 1.

The crimping head assembly herein shown and described is adapted for useeither in conjunction with standard bottle filling lines to replace thenormal crowners in the crowner head casing such as manufactured by theCrown Cork and Seal Company under the trade name Cemco or in a handactuated device of the type also manufactured under the Cemco tradename. As shown and described in more detail in the copending applicationof Stanley J. K011 and John M. Rocus filed July 22, 1965 entitled Methodand Apparatus for Securing Closure Caps to Containers, the crimping headis carried by a hollow shaft 1 which is mounted in the standard crownerhead casing. The lower end of the shaft 1 is integrally and radiallyoutwardly enlarged into an annular portion 2 having a diameter greaterthan the diameter of the remainder of the shaft 1. A bore 3 formed inthe shaft is threaded at 4 to receive the threaded portion of a sleeve5. A circumferential flange 5a around the lower end of sleeve 5 engagesthe lower end of the shaft 1 when the sleeve 5 is fully seated withinthe shaft.

Slideably received within the sleeve 5 is a spindle 6 having at itsupper end an internally threaded bore 7 which receives the lowerthreaded end of a connecting member 8. A collar 9 is formed about thecenter portion of the connecting member 8 with the upper end thereofterminating in a shank 10. A pin 11 locks the connecting member 8 andthe spindle 6 together. This pin is accessible through the shaft 1 andsleeve by means of the passages 12 closed by the threaded plugs 13.Surrounding the shank is a helical compression spring 14 extendingbetween the collar 9 and the upper end wall 15 of the bore 3 and adaptedto be compressed therebetween and to normally retain the collar 9 incontact with the inner end of sleeve 5.

The lower end of the spindle 6 is provided with an internal bore 16extending downwardly and terminating at its lower free end in a capreceiving nest 17 having a downwardly extending side wall 17a. Anoutwardly extending collar 18 is fitted about the wall of the spindle 6opposite the upper part of the bore 16 being positioned vertically byseating on the annular shoulder 19 formed outwardly on the spindle 6. Acap hold down member con sisting of a sleeve 20 having an upper end 21of enlarged outside diameter is slideably received within the bore 16.The lower portion of the sleeve 20 has an end wall 22 which supports onits inner surface the lower end of compression spring 23. The outersurface of the end wall 22 contacts the top of the cap 24 upon downwardmovement of the head. The upper end of spring 23 engages the upper endwall 25 of the bore 16. The sleeve 20 is slideably retained within thebore 16 by means of a pair of pins 26 which are seated in bores 27extending horizontally through the lower cylindrical wall of the spindle6. Each of said bores 27 is so positioned that only half of its diameterextends into surface of bore 16, the other half underlies the enlargedcollar 21 of the sleeve 20. The pins 26 thus retain the sleeve 20 inplace in the bore 16 while allowing rertical reciprocation of thesleeve.

The periphery of the collar 18 has an arcuate convex contour upon whichis pivotally mounted mating concave surfaces 28 formed in the upper endsof a plurality of annularly arranged sealing members or jaws 29. Thejaws 29 are of identical construction and in this embodiment are twelvein number spaced about the cap receiving nest 17. The number of jaws mayof course be varied without departing from the scope of the invention.Each jaw has formed at its upper end a radially outwardly extendingprotuberance 30 which slidably contacts the inner surface of theadjacent segment 34, described hereinafter, and serves to retain theupper end of the jaw in pivotal engagement with the collar 18.Each jawat its lower end, is formed with a radially inwardly facing crimping orsealing surface 31 having a convexly curved configuration. The outer endportion of each jaw is formed with an inclined cam surface 32.

A segmental closing ring or sleeve generally indicated at 33 is providedfor closing the jaws 29 and their crimping surfaces 31 about the bottlefinish. The ring 33 is formed of a plurality of individual arcuatelyshaped segments 34 of equal dimension. Six of these segments are shown,that is, each segment 34 actuates two of the jaws 29 by engaging the jawcam surfaces 32. Here again the number of segments may be varied withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. The upper end of each segment34 inclines inwardly into a segmental collar portion 35 having anoutwardly facing convex arcuate periphery which mates with a concavechannel 37 formed into the interior surface of the enlarged annularportion 2. The segmented ring 33 is retained in mated and pivotalrelationship with the concave channel 37 by the abutment of theoutwardly extending flange 5a at the lower end of the sleeve 5 with theinner end surfaces of the collar portions 35. The lower end of eachsegment 34 is enlarged radially outwardly and provided with inwardlyfacing cam surfaces 38 for coaction with the cam surfaces 32 of the jaws29. Extending radially inwardly from the interior of each segment 34 isa center wedge shaped partition 39 and two wedge shaped side partitions40 each eing of half the width of he center par i n 39 4 as best seen inFIG. 2. These partitions 39 and 40 provide slideways to guide the jaws29 in their movement between open and closed position.

An annulus 41 of resilient material is mounted about the lower portionof the spindle 6 and has a radially outwardly extending flexible collar42 of reduced thickness which engages the interiors of the jaws 29 andcontinuously resiliently urges those jaws outwardly so that the jaw camsurfaces 32 are held in contact with their mated cam surfaces 38 on thesegments 34.

The segments 34 forming ring 33 are resiliently restrained from pivotaloutward movement away from the jaws 29 by means of an annular springcollar 43 which overlies and encircles the greater portion of thesegments 34. The spring collar 43 has a solid upper portion 43a fromwhich a plurality of downwarlly extending resilient fingers 44 extend asclearly seen in FIG. 3. These fingers 44 having radially inwardlyextending ledges at their lower ends terminating in surfaces 46 whichcontact the outer surface of the segments 34 so that the fingers 44resiliently restrain the segments 34 against excessive radial outwardmovement. A locking screw 45 inserted between two of the fingers 44 intoa tapped hole in one of the segments 34 prevents circumferentialmovement of the spring collar 43. Vertical upward movement of the springcollar 43 away from the lower enlarged portion of the segments 34 isprevented by the locking collar 43b secured to the enlarged annularportion 2 by the set screw 430. With this spring arrangement, should oneor more of the jaws 29, upon being swung radially inwardly to have itscrimping surface 31 crimp in a cap skirt overlying a bottle neck, bebrought to a stop by the bottle neck before the segments 34 havecompleted their downward travel, they would yield due to theyieldability of the fingers 44 thus allowing the segments 34 to swingoutwardly enough to continue moving downwardly with no further inwardmovement of the underlying jaws. This yielding effect enables a uniformcrimping pressure to be applied around the entire cap skirt regardlessof dimensional variations which commonly occur in bottle necks. Thus thecap skirt will be tightly crimped in all around while exertion of aforce suflicient to break the bottle is prevented.

An annular retainer plate 47 is floatingly mounted on the lower end ofthe segments 34. The floating mounting is effected by a pair ofelongated openings 48 provided in the plate 47 for the reception ofscrews 49 which are threadedly engaged with the segments 34. Theelongated openings 48 open downwardly into elongated counterbores 49a toaccommodate a screw adaptor 50 seated over the screws 49 and having headportions 51 loosely seated in the counterbore 49 and shanks 50 looselyseated in the opening 48 as seen in FIG. 5. A resilient washer 52 isinterposed between the adaptor head 51 and the bottom 53 of thecounterbore 49. Thus the segments 34 are permitted to shift radiallyrelative to the plate 47.

A combination bottle guide and gripping ear wiper generally in the formof an annulus is in turn floatingly retained Within the opening in plate47. This combination member comprises a ring 53 having a flat uppersurface 54 and an under conical working surface 55 inclining upwardly inits inward extent. Four radial supporting lugs '56 having upper surfacesforming continuations of the surface 54 seat loosely in slots 57 in theupper surface of the retainer plate 47 when the crimping head is raisedand the jaws 29 are in open position thus holding the ring 53 closelyadjacent the lowermost ends of the jaws 29 as shown in FIG. 1.

As downward movement of the crimping head commences, to effect securingof the cap 24 to the bottle finish 58, the end wall 22 of the cap holddown member is brought into contact with the cap top causing the bore 16of the spindle 6 to move down around the sleeve 20 through compressionof the spring 23. Continued downward movement of the crimping headbrings the conical surface 55 of the ring 53 into radially opposedrelation with respect to the bottle finish. The inner circular edge 55aof the conical surface 55 is dimensioned to provide a minimum amount ofclearance around the bottle finish 58 with the cap 24 loosely appliedthereto. Unless the bottle already happens to be in proper axialalignment with the cap receiving nest 17, the bottle through cap 24,will be struck by some portion of the conical surface 55. As the ring 53descends, the offcenter bottle is pulled by contact with the surface 55into axial alignment with the nest 17. During this movement the bottleremains in a vertically erect position due to the stabilizing effect ofthe spring loaded hold down member 20 which tends to hold the bottleupright. It is to be noted however that the pressure exerted by thespring 23 does not prevent the bottle from easily sliding under thehold-down member end Wall 22.

In the open or expanded position of the crimping jaws as seen in FIG. 1the rounded crimping surfaces 31 extend radially inwardly of theinnermost edge 55a of the conical surface 55 so that the last incrementof bottle guiding is performed by the jaws themselves. The sidewall 17aof the cap receiving nest 17 is in substantially vertical alignment withthe conical surface edge 55a. Thus it can be seen that the bottle andunsecured cap is accurately and positively guided into precise axialalignment with the central axis of the crimping head. Furthermore anypossibility is eliminated of the jaws striking the top of the cap andthus being caused to close at this point due to the resistance offeredby the underlying bottle. The ring 53 and retainer plate 47 are carrieddownwardly by the crimping head causing the conical surface 55 to strikethe cap -gripping ear 59. Continued downward movement pushes or deflectsthe car down against the container Wall until the cap receiving nest 17becomes properly seated on the cap and the camming action of thesegments 34 commences.

When the crimping head reaches the lowermost limit of its downwardtravel the nest 17 firmly seated on the cap 24, the spring 14 starts tocompress causing the shaft 1 and sleeve to move downwardly a shortdistance relative to the spindle 6. The resulting downward movement ofthe segments 34 pivots the fingers 29 radially inwardly about the collar18 with the surfaces 31 crimping the cap skirt in against the lowersurface of the lip 58, During this camming action the plate 47 carriedby the segment 34 continues to move downwardly away from the ring 53 sothat the ring, now supported by the car 59, is lifted out of the grooves57 and held against the lower ends of the jaws 29 as seen in thecrimping position of FIG. 3. During this downward movement of thesegments 34 relative to the jaws 29 the ring lugs 56 ride up within thespaces between the partitions 39 and 40 previously occupied by the lowerportions of the jaws 29 when in their open position. It is also at thispoint, as described above, that any variations in the bottle height orlip diameter, either one of which would vary the vertical travel of thesegments relative to the jaws, are compensated for by the expandablespring collar 43 and the floating connection thereto of the retainerplate 47 which allow the segments 34 to yield outwardly when such anoverload condition occurs.

Upon completion of the crimping action the car 59 is wiped down closelyadjacent the neck of the bottle so that the capped bottle may besubsequently handled without interference with the ear. Most importantlyhowever, in regard to the ear wiping function of the ring 53, is theaccuracy with which the ear 59 is wiped down to its desired positionadjacent the bottle neck. As seen in FIG. 3 the distance relationshipbetween the conical surface 55 and the lower surface of the bottlefinish 58 is always maintained at a constant since the axial movement ofthe ring 53 is dependent solely on the axial movement of the jaws 29.Regardless of the amount of downward travel of the segments 34, and endplate 47,

which is caused to vary by dimensional changes in both the bottle heightand the lip diameter, the ear 59 is always wiped down to precisely thesame position relative to the bottle finish, closely adjacent the bottleneck. To wipe the ear down, in accordance with known constructions,short of that precise position adjacent the bottle neck presents thepossibility of interference with the ear and even destruction of theseal during subsequent bottle handling operations, which on the otherhand, to wipe the ear down much beyond the desired position usuallyresults in a broken bottle.

Retraction of the crimping head after completion of the crimpingoperation restores the respective elements to the position illustratedin FIG. 1 with the jaws 34 being urged radially outwardly by theflexible collar 42 of the annulus 41.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and from aconsideration of the foregoing that the cap applying apparatus of thisinvention substantially improves upon prior art cap crimpingarrangements and greatly enhances the etficiency of such high-speedbottling operations.

Changes in and modifications of the construction and differentembodiments of the invention would suggest themselves to those skilledin the art and could be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention. It is accordingly intended that alf matter containedin the above description, or shown on the accompanying drawing, shall beinterpreted as being illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention what we claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for securing a closure cap to a neck bordering the openingof a container, said apparatus comprising an axially movable mountingmember, a plurality of circum-ferentially arranged elongated sealingmembers pivotally connected to said mounting member and dependingtherebelow, actuating means movable relative to said sealing memberssurrounding said sealing members for swinging said sealing membersradially inwardly along an arcuate path into a contracted position toform a complete sealing annulus, and a continuous annular workingsurface adapted for coaction with a container neck and unsecured closurecap loosely applied thereto, said working surface lying in concentricaxial alignment with said sealing members and positioned axially inpredetermined vertically spaced relationship below said sealing membersduring said axial and radial movement.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said working surface has an internaldiameter slight greater then said closed annulus of said sealing memberswhereby axial alignment of said container and cap for proper operationof said sealing members is effected.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1, including a downwardly opening cap receivingnest positoned at the lower end of said mounting member said nest havinga top wall and a side wall and said working surface having a minimuminternal diameter in substantially vertical alignment with the internaldiameter of said side wall.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said working surface comprises aradially inwardly and downwardly facing conical surface formed on a ringmember mounted in concentric axial alignment below said sealing means.

5. Apparatus for securing a closure cap having a radially extendinggripping ear to a neck bordering the opening of a container, saidapparatus comprising an axially movable mounting member, a plurality ofcircumferentially arranged elongated sealing members operativelyconnected to said mounting member and depending therebelow, actuatingmeans surrounding said sealing members for swinging said sealing membersradially inwardly into a contracted position to form a complete sealingannulus, and a continuous annular working surface adapted for coactionwith a container neck and unsecured closure cap loosely applied thereto,said working surface lying in concentric axial alignment with saidsealing members and positioned axially in predetermined verticallyspaced relationship below said sealing members during said axial andradial movement whereby said working surface deflects said gripping eardownwardly to a position closely adjacent said container during saidaxial movement.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said working surface is formed on aring member supported below said sealing members and adapted to bedriven downwardly over said ear by direct contact by said sealingmembers.

7. Apparatus for securing a closure cap to a neck bordering the openingof a container, said apparatus comprising an axially movable mountingmember, a plurality of circumferentially arranged elongated sealingmembers operatively connected to said mounting member and dependingtherebelow, actuating means including an axially movable camming sleevefor coaction with the lower outer end portion of said sealing members,said camming sleeve surrounding said sealing members for swinging saidsealing members radially inwardly into a contracted position to form acomplete sealing annulus, a retainer plate movably mounted at thelowermost end of said camming sleeve, a continuous annular workingsurface adapted for coaction with a container neck and unsecured closurecap loosely applied thereto, said working surface lying in concentricaxial alignment with said sealing members and positioned axially inpredetermined vertically spaced relationship below said sealing membersduring said axial and radial movement and said working surface beingfreely vertically supported on said retainer plate whereby verticaldisplacement of said plate relative to said working surface is effectedduring said radial movement of said sealing members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,085,879 7/1937 Trump 53351 X2,325,160 7/1943 Goodwin 53353 X 2,339,119 1/1944 Thomas 53-42 3,332,2117/1967 K011 et al. 53353 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,171 3/1911 Great Britain.

TRAVIS S. MCGHEE, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 113--1

